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Teddy came within a hair of winning presidents race #499 Friday night as the Washington Nationals racing presidents kicked off their latest homestand with a tribute to the Discovery Channel’s Shark Week.

Teddy Roosevelt entered the arena for the 4th inning race sporting shark teeth and a makeshift dorsal fin. He trailed the pack from the start, but got assistance from the same shark who had attacked him during thepresidents race 400 meter individual medley two weeks ago.

The accomplice shark raced ahead, and with Teddy trailing behind him, took down Abe Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, leaving Teddy in the lead in the home stretch. Victory was Teddy’s for the taking, but a pause to glance over his shoulder proved to be his undoing and the window a resurgent Lincoln needed to come from behind and steal the race at the wire (slo-mo video below).